Why is a woman with a number of cats, often called a ‘crazy cat lady’?

Why isn’t a woman with a number of children called a ‘crazy child lady’?

Why isn’t a woman with a number of dogs called a ‘crazy dog lady’?

It applies to men too of course, but we very rarely hear of a ‘crazy cat man’ even though there are men with more than one or two cats.

There are quite a few men with more than one or two dogs too, but we never hear them called ‘crazy dog men’ do we?

Children and dogs can be a pest in public, cats don’t wreak havoc in supermarkets like children do, cats don’t make a noise barking, or mess on footpaths, or jump up at people leaving muddy paw marks like dogs do.

Each to his own and I respect that some people like children around and some like dogs around, so why don’t those people respect that some of us like cats around?

Why think we are crazy because we happen to love cats?

What happened to live and let live, does it not apply to cat people? Why do journalists write biased articles about cats and try to turn people against them?

I find people who love cats to be the most caring and kind to other people and other species of animals too.

We may not want children or dogs in our lives but we don’t begrudge or mock those who do want them. We only ask that they understand we have as much right to our choice as they have.

Well we only have two cats in our home right now but I also care about our neighbour’s cats, the local Sanctuary cats and all cats worldwide.

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Comments

Crazy Cat Lady? — 22 Comments

Love your poster Ruth! I like being a mad cat lady because I’m happy 🙂 My philosophy is if what I do hurt no one then mind your own damn business and don’t interfere! As you say I don’t riducule anyone because of what pet they have in their family so I don’t expect to be treated any differently!

Ruth, I love your posters! This one has generated all sorts of interesting comments. When I study the poster and reflect, I’m reminded of the high “maintenance” required in having children and dogs as part of our lives. Constant attention is required to lovingly nurture. This is not a bad thing, it just is. Cats are a wonderful part of my life, with their purrs, eyes, soft fur juxtaposed by wonderful claws. Especially after having raised an exceptional German Shepherd and daughter. What a blessed way to follow up that nurturing. 🙂 I am in heaven with my three cats! I love their eye contact–everything about them.

Thanks Caroline, you prove that it doesn’t have to be love kids, love dogs, but hate cats, or love cats but hate kids and dogs. If only everyone would live and let live, this world would be a much nicer place.
I can’t understand why some people feel the need to mock cat lovers, why some people like Woody hate cats and cat lovers or why some people want to hurt cats.

Fantastic poster.
I wouldn’t mind being called a crazy cat lady it’s much better than being called a Peta Freak which I get even though I hate Peta.
Serious though it’s not right a woman with a horde of kids isn’t called a crazy child lady and a woman with a pack of dogs a crazy dog lady.
It’s discrimination 😉

Great poster and article, Ruth.
I don’t like the term “crazy cat lady.” I might not want to have dogs or children, but I respect the people who do. Name calling is immature.
There is a stigma about men and cats, though. One of my favorite people on YouTube, Paul Klusman said that after 3 cats “you start to be that guy who has a lot of cats.”
I have a lovely tabby cat who knows how to use an easy button to ask for food (we had to cover it. He started using my family and I as vending machines.) He is wonderful and smart. I am not crazy for loving him and the rest of you aren’t crazy for loving your cats, either.

It makes me wonder if anyone, man or woman, who loves either cats or dogs becomes stigmatised. If that is true it must come from the people who believe humans are special and superior and our frightened to believe that humans are not special and superior.

Aww thanks, but far from beautiful, unless you go by this quote:
‘As a white candle in a Holy place,
Such is the beauty of an ageing face’
Gentle yes, strong yes when I have to be, but my heart is so full of sadness at times for this world and the suffering in it I wonder how those of us who care go on.

Thanks Alyson, yes I agree name calling is immature, I really don’t know why people don’t respect our choice to have cats yet expect us to respect their choice to have kids and dogs.
What is it about cat lovers that some people don’t like? Maybe Michael is right and they believe themselves to be superior to ‘mere cats’ and their caretakers.

Great poster, as always, Ruth aka.
Crazy cat lady, my ass! My cats are healthier, happier, and lead more fulfilling lives than any dog or child I know. They are not tied out in the yard, locked out of the house while I mop the floors, not taken to the doctor only when they’re sick, forced to heed commands, belittled, harshly disciplined, or deprived of love and affection.
Who really are the crazies!

It’s a good point that (and as always a brilliant poster)personally I’d have thought that anyone filling the house with kids is definitely the most crazy, but it’s true that people with a lot of dogs are smiled at and sympathised with when they are being dragged along by assorted mutts but mention having multiple cats and the immediate reaction is “ugh she smells of cats pee”. This is probably a bad example to use considering what happened in the end but when I used to take Connie the Conwoman shopping and she would buy a large amount of catfood (when she was in funds, her own or someone else’s haha)the checkout assistant would often comment that she must have a lot of cats to feed, and when Connie proudly announced she had 12 (13,14,15) the assistant would often say, even the cat loving ones, Oh I wouldn’t have that many cats in my house. To have multiple cats seems to indicate the person who has them is a dirty cat hoarder (sadly true in some cases). having said all that I wouldn’t really mind being called a cat lady (and I think Ruth and I are both known as that by a family a bit further along according to one of their multiple kids) it’s the crazy bit I would object to.